Religion & Law

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors

Posted on May 18, 2009
Natalie Goudarzian writes at The New University: "The 'Pulpit' protest was organized by the Phoenix-based, socially conservative Alliance Defense Fund, which stated that the clergy have a constitutional right to endorse political candidates from its pulpits...

?Gay-Marriage Issue Awaits Court Pick: Same-Sex Unions Supplant Abortion As Social Priority for Conservatives?

Posted on May 18, 2009
The Washington Post: "This is kind of like the abortion debate 30 years ago. Some states changed their laws; some didn't," said Jordan Lorence, senior counsel for the conservative Alliance Defense Fund, who counseled New Hampshire Republicans on the religious exclusion, and whose group is active in other state and federal cases...

Potential Pro-Abortion Supreme Court Nominee Jennifer Granholm at White House

Posted on May 18, 2009
LifeNews: "Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a potential Supreme Court nominee for pro-abortion President Barack Obama, will be at the White House on Tuesday. Although Obama administration officials say she will be present for an unrelated event, Granholm is on the president's high court short list...

?Gay advocates have a proposition for Obama?

Posted on May 18, 2009
LA Times: "Pressure is building on hot-button issues: same-sex marriage, lobbying for a gay Supreme Court justice and 'don't ask, don't tell.'"

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?No more Mr. Nice Guy: The Supreme Court?s stealth hard-liner?

Posted on May 18, 2009
Jeffrey Toobin has written this lengthy commentary at the New Yorker discussing Chief Justice John Roberts.

Pulpit Initiative Debate this Wednesday, May 20th

Posted on May 18, 2009
Townhall has posted this announcement about the upcoming debate being co-sponsored by ADF and the Federalist Society.

Notre Dame gives Obama standing ovation

Posted on May 18, 2009
One News Now: "More than two dozen pro-life protesters were arrested at Notre Dame University Sunday as President Barack Obama told a graduation ceremony at the Catholic school that both sides in the abortion debate must stop demonizing one another ...

Developments In Two Episcopal Church Claims To Property of Breakaway Parishes

Posted on May 18, 2009
The Religion Clause Blog reports: In Pennsylvania, the Episcopal Church has filed a complaint (as Plaintiff-in-Intervention) in an ongoing lawsuit, seeking a declaratory judgment that it, rather than the break-away diocese that has affiliated with the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, is the proper authority to control the real and personal property of the Diocese of Pittsburgh ...

Catholic High School Sues San Diego Under RLUIPA

Posted on May 18, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "[The suit] . . . challenges the the refusal by San Diego's City Council to permit it to demolish three homes near campus in order to construct a new classroom building and parking structure."

Steele reignites ?socialist? conflict with RNC

Posted on May 18, 2009
AP: "Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele reverted Sunday to opposing moves by some RNC members to label Democrats as 'socialists,' despite having himself used that term within the past few weeks."

Obama taps aide to guide nominee for Supreme Court

Posted on May 18, 2009
AP: "Stephanie Cutter is expected to leave her job as an adviser to Treasury Secretary Geithner and move next door to the White House, an administration official said."

Lithuania president-elect questions parental leave

Posted on May 18, 2009
AP: "The first woman to be elected president of Lithuania said Monday the government must slash spending and questioned whether the country can afford its generous parental leave benefits."

Obama?s Faith-Based Adviser Urges Challenge to ?Heteronormative? Fatherhood

Posted on May 18, 2009
CNSNews: "A controversial member of President Barack Obama?s faith-based council said that part of the administration?s role in promoting responsible fatherhood should include moving beyond America?s 'heteronormative view of fatherhood.' Harry Knox, appointed last month to the 25-member President?s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, has drawn fire for inflammatory comments about the Catholic Church and Pope Benedict XVI...

NH gov?s proposed revisions to marriage redefinition bill fail religious freedom test

Posted on May 18, 2009
?The governor is right to recognize the threat to religious liberty, but he underestimates the threat by a long shot. Where are the protections for business owners with religious objections to recognizing same-sex ?marriages??

Rep. Peter King: ACLU Is ?Tearing Down The United States?

Posted on May 18, 2009
CBS: "Representative Peter King (R-N.Y.) said that by opposing military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay and by advocating for the release of photographs of torture committed upon detainees, the American Civil Liberties Union is 'tearing down the United States,' during a heated debate with the ACLU's executive director, on Face the Nation Sunday...

Girl Scouts exposed: Lessons in lesbianism

Posted on May 18, 2009
WorldNetDaily: "When many parents think of Girl Scouts, they imagine young girls in uniform selling Thin Mints and Tagalong cookies ? not learning about stone labyrinths, world peace, global warming, yoga, avatars, smudging incense, Zen gardens and feminist, communist and lesbian role models...

Virginia: Christians win ?Harborfest? discrimination case

Posted on May 18, 2009
One News Now: "Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) attorney Jonathan Scruggs notes the sequence of events in June 2008 involving his two clients. 'They wanted to go talk about their religious beliefs but also display signs -- kind of sandwich-board signs that you would wear...

In Midtown, Opposing Rallies on Same-Sex Marriage

Posted on May 18, 2009
NY Times: "Gov. David A. Paterson urged the State Senate on Sunday to take swift action on legislation that would allow same-sex couples to marry, signaling that he intends to increase pressure on lawmakers as the end of the 2009 legislative session approaches...

Jan LaRue: Our Lady?s Advice

Posted on May 18, 2009
Jan LaRue writes at American Thinker: Notre Dame University bears the name of the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ, a wonderful, courageous, and wise woman. The only recorded advice that Mary ever gave concerned her Son: "Whatever He says to you, do it...

?RNC chief: Gay marriage will burden small business?

Posted on May 18, 2009
AP: "Republicans can reach a broader base by recasting gay marriage as an issue that could dent pocketbooks as small businesses spend more on health care and other benefits, GOP Chairman Michael Steele said Saturday."

Church invasion group?s usual M.O.

Posted on May 18, 2009
One News Now: Alliance Defense Fund filed suit last week in Michigan against a radical group that invades churches. ADF attorney Dale Schowengert points out that several people staged a noisy demonstration outside to attract security out of the church building ...

NY woman arrested for sharing faith in public park files suit against Oyster Bay

Posted on May 18, 2009
?City officials have no right to threaten and arrest citizens for exercising their First Amendment rights in public, especially on the pretext of revised codes that have already been ruled unconstitutional.?

APA lobbied on Gender Identity Disorder definition

Posted on May 18, 2009
. . . today Pam discusses efforts to lobby the American Psychiatric Association on the topic of "Gender Identity Disorder" at its 2009 annual meeting. Alert readers should remember this political maneuvering the next time the APA is cited as a bastion of reliable scientific data.

Rhode Island: ?Residents rally against proposed strip club?

Posted on May 18, 2009
NBC 10: "Residents of a Fall River neighborhood rallied Monday against a proposed strip club. People who live in the Rodman Street area said the Martinique strip club would be right in the middle of their neighborhood, near a school and bus stops."

Lawmakers Push Ultrasound Bills as More Americans Say They?re Pro-Life

Posted on May 18, 2009
". . . during a two-year study 75 percent of his patients who were unsure about terminating a pregnancy decided not to have an abortion after they opted to view the ultrasound images."

Denver Archbishop on Notre Dame: Phony dialogue prostitutes Catholic identity and abdicates moral witness

Posted on May 18, 2009
Archbishop Chaput of the Roman Catholic Diocese has issued this statement that includes these excerpts: "And we also have the duty to avoid prostituting our Catholic identity by appeals to phony dialogue that mask an abdication of our moral witness. Notre Dame did not merely invite the president to speak at its commencement...

Texas: One dead in strip club shooting

Posted on May 18, 2009
ABC: "A man is dead, and a second wounded after investigators say they were shot by an off-duty police officer. It's the third officer-involved shooting in the last 24 hours."

EU, UNFPA Pressuring Philippines to Pass Bill That is First Step to Legal Abortions

Posted on May 18, 2009
LifeNews: "The head of the delegation of the European Commission in the Philippines, Ambassador Alistair MacDonald, has vocally intervened in a contentious legislative debate in that nation, pushing legislators to pass a controversial "reproductive health" bill while linking increased foreign aid to passage, according to critics...

Washington: ?Gregoire expands same-sex partnerships?

Posted on May 18, 2009
"The law will take effect on July 26 unless opponents seeking to repeal it can successfully collect enough signatures to get a referendum on the November ballot."

Colorado: 9 year old ?boy spearheads gay-marriage rally?

Posted on May 18, 2009
Denver Post: "Wearing a white collared shirt and blue jeans, Ethan stood and delivered his message supporting gay marriage. 'I believe I am doing the right thing,' Ethan said. 'I hope this rally will make an impact and let our voices be heard.'

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